1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to analyzing systems that analyze blood, urine and like vital samples. The invention relates more particularly to an analyzing system that analyzes vital samples from a plurality of animal type under analysis conditions adapted to the animal type.
2. Description of Related Art
Various tests such as blood tests, biochemical examination, and general screenings are conducted as clinical trials utilizing human blood, urine and like vital samples. Such trials have application not only to human beings, but also to dogs, rats, and other animals, and are conducted likewise.
Nevertheless, because the components of vital samples, for example erythrocyte cell size and density, differ from human beings according to the type of animal, there will be instances in which analyzing systems for humans cannot be employed as is. In these cases, the analysis is performed matching analyzing system analysis conditions to the animal type of the sample to be measured, by varying, for example, analyzing program and measurement sensitivity, and furthermore, reaction time and assaying reagents.
To assay mingled samples wherein the analysis conditions differ among them, with a single analyzing device the analysis conditions have to be re-set corresponding to the animal type with every measurement, or separate analyzing devices have to be readied for each of the species.
An analyzing device having a broad measuring range must be employed wherein samples of differing species are to be assayed with the same analyzing device, so as to be able to assay any of the animal types among them. Employing such an analyzing device presents technical difficulties depending on the animal type and the assay items, which otherwise raise the cost of the analyzing device itself.
Further, even being able to keep the target assays for different animal type within the assaying range of a single analyzing device, there will be instances in which reliable results cannot be obtained by performing merely the same analysis on the quantitative results for the different animal type. For example, wherein a plurality of cell types are analyzed in a two-dimensional scattergram based on a plurality of detection signals, there will be cases in which the characteristics of each detection signal for each cell will differ according to the animal type. Reliable data cannot be obtained unless the detection signal analytical method accommodates these characteristics. Accordingly, getting the assay method to be common to all of the animal type is difficult.
Further still, assaying different animal type with a single analyzing device has the following problems. FIG. 10 depicts an animal type input screen in a conventional analyzing device. A window 71 is provided on the input, screen for inputting animal type. When a user clicks on the arrow in the window 71, a list of configurable animal type is displayed, enabling the animal type that is to be assayed to be set. This operation is done each and every time an assay is made. Herein, changing animal type wherein vital samples of different animal type are mingled is a very involved operation. Further, wherein analyzing devices are prepared for each animal type, just that animal type number of analyzing devices becomes the plurality needed, elevating costs.
An object of the present invention is to provide an analyzing device enabling analysis with ease of operation wherein differing samples of animal type are mingled.
The foregoing circumstances have been taken into consideration in the present invention. Therefore, the invention of the present application in a first aspect provides an automated analyzing system that analyzes vital samples from different animal types, the automated analyzing system characterized in being provided with an animal type table, an animal type input means, and an analysis configuration means.
The animal type table assigns correspondences between and stores animal type and identifying information designating the animal type. The animal type input means functions to input, utilizing the identifying information, animal type of a vital sample that is analyzed. With the analysis configuration means, analysis condition settings are altered in accordance with inputted animal type.
Various modes for inputting the identifying information herein might be given as examples: manual input by a user, automated input by reading from a barcode or IC chip, or automated input by instructions from a host computer. The identifying information consists of, for example, one or two alphanumeric characters.
The invention of the present application in a second aspect provides, in the automated analyzing system of the foregoing first aspect of the invention, the analysis configuration means altering measurement sensitivity in conformance with the inputted animal type.
For example, in analyzing blood, erythrocyte size will vary greatly depending on the animal type. Herein, the measurement sensitivity is altered in correspondence with the animal type.
The invention of the present application in a third aspect provides, in the automated analyzing system of the foregoing first aspect of the invention, the analysis configuration means assaying measurement data utilizing an assaying program adapted to the inputted animal type.
For example, in analyzing leukocytes, parameters and reference values for assaying the five classes of leukocytes differ with each animal type. Herein, the automated analyzing system analyzes measurement data utilizing parameters and reference values adapted to the inputted animal type.
In a fourth aspect the invention of the present application provides, in the automated analyzing system of the foregoing third aspect of the invention, the assaying program demarcation analyzing a two-or-more-dimensional scattergram based on measurement data for two or more species.
For example, from measurement data by flow cytometry, the assaying program expresses size and interior structural information of an analytical object in a two-dimensional graph, and designates the analytical object on the graph from cluster size and position.
In a fifth aspect the invention of the present application provides, in the foregoing first aspect of the invention, the automated analyzing system further equipped with configuration means for receiving a setting that assigns correspondences between animal types in the animal type table and the identifying information that designates animal types.
This system has the advantage that the user can, with the user""s own running of the automated analyzing system, configure the assignment of correspondences between animal type and identifying information.
The invention of the present application in a sixth aspect provides and automated analyzing method utilized in an automated analyzing system for analyzing vital samples from different animal type, the automated analyzing method:
(A) preparing an animal type table wherein correspondences between animal type and identifying information designating said animal type are assigned and stored;
(B) inputting, utilizing said identifying information, animal type of a vital sample to be analyzed; and
(C) altering analysis condition settings in accordance with inputted animal type.
The effective results are similar to the invention in foregoing first aspect.
In a seventh aspect the invention of the present application provides a computer-readable recording medium wherein a program for executing the foregoing automated analyzing method is recorded. Examples that might be given of recording media herein are computer-readable floppy disks, hard disks, semiconductor memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, and magneto optical disks (MOs).
In an eighth aspect the invention of the present application provides a transmission medium transmitting a program for executing the foregoing automated analyzing method. Examples that might be given of transmission media herein are communications media (optical fibers, radio circuitry) in computer network (LAN, Internet, and radio communications network) systems for supplying program information by propagation as carrier waves.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.